Alan Lehman/Daily
Rob Mangus, owner of the Civil Cricket, stands inside his Middletown cafe as general manager Howard Hoover takes a customer's order from behind the counter.

By Anna Ferguson
(Daily Staff Writer)

MIDDLETOWN - Jennifer Carter tries to find words as her daughter tugs on her hand, anticipating the ice cream that awaits inside the Civil Cricket.

“The cafe, it’s wonderful. It has a great atmosphere,” she says. “The kids love coming — obviously, and we stop by a few times a week. The ambiance is like nothing else around here. It’s just a really cute place.”

Opened in mid-September, the Civil Cricket has quickly become a social gathering spot for families, individuals and the after-theater crowd, as the cafe is located adjacent to the Wayside Theatre on Main Street.

As an usher at Wayside, and a former actor, cafe owner Robert Mangus heard the request often, patrons asking where to grab a light bite following a show.

“I had people ask me all the time, ‘Where should we go to get a coffee or a small meal?’ There wasn’t really any place for them to go, so I decided to make one,” he says.

Magnus has diners lofting about in his former living room, his bedroom, even his bathroom. A log cabin built in the 1700s, and one of the oldest homes in Middletown, Mangus took his personal residence and converted it into a cafe, with the upstairs remaining as his home.

“It’s a great commute,” he says. “I just walk downstairs.”

With low ceilings, a cozy fireplace and plenty of seating, Mangus has created an oasis of tranquility within the cafe’s walls, and that was the point, he says. Comfort is the key Mangus was looking for in a cafe, he says, wanting patrons to feel at ease in a casual, yet upscale, environment.

“Coming in, I want the worries of the day to leave and I want customers to be able to relax and forget about their stress while they are here,” Mangus says. “When you walk in, I want you to feel at home.”

From the name to the decor and atmosphere, Mangus aimed for every nook and cranny of the cafe to exude solace and play tribute the valley’s history.

“I wanted the name to reflect the area, so the word civil had to be in there somewhere. And cricket is the international symbol of hospitality,” he says. “So is pineapple, but the Civil Pineapple just didn’t have that ring to it.”

Though he has no background in business to speak of, Mangus is quickly learning to handle the books, and with general manager Howard Hoover at his side, the duo make up the entire staff of the cafe.

“We just threw ourselves into it,” Mangus says. “It can be overwhelming, but I am learning quickly.”

Finding himself in a transitional stage of life, fellow acting friend Hoover says he was drawn to the idea of managing the cafe, despite his equally inexperienced background in the business world.

“Now, I’ve got a real title — general manger. That is really great,” Hoover says, adding that his commute to work is slightly longer than that off Mangus. “I live about two doors down.”

Coffee specialties, sandwiches, grilled paninis, ice cream and smoothies, Civil Cricket serves up traditional cafe-style fare, though it has “the best coffee in the valley,” says Mangus. A rotating, evolving menu keeps the selection fresh, and every weekend, a chef comes in to cook up new dishes.

“I’m not a chef, so we have someone come in and she makes wonderful food,” Mangus says. “Our menu changes a little bit each week, and we are always adding new things, taking off things, to keep it different. Everyone who comes in comments on how delicious the food is. The feedback has really been encouraging.”

In the few weeks the cafe has been open, it has taken on a life of its own, says Mangus. With the soft trickling of water and sound of birds, the cafe’s outdoor garden has become a favorite seating area with regulars. The front porch, built from salvaged pieces of a valley barn, is known as a more social setting, where friends meet after work or on their breaks.

“It has grown faster than I expected, and that is wonderful,” he says. “People seem to feel at home here, and we have customers who come by two, three, four times a week. That is a very big compliment.”

Offering free wireless Internet, plush armchairs arranged around ottomans stacked with magazines, and wooden tables shined to a high gloss, the cafe, too, has drawn praise from valley students as an ideal workspace, Mangus says. To reach beyond the ideal coffeehouse, Mangus aspires to expand the menu in coming months, add additional outdoor seating, as well as open the cottage space, located behind the building, for local businesses as a conference area. Also in the works are plans for live entertainment from area musicians, as well as classes taught by valley artists.

“I really want this place to be available as a resource,” Mangus says. “It has potential beyond just a cafe.”

The cafe is open Monday through Friday, noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call 868-0919 for more information.